Sourdough Butter Swim Biscuits

Sourdough butter swim biscuits are rich, tender biscuits baked in a pool of melted butter, creating a golden, crispy crust and a moist, fluffy interior, all with that signature sourdough tang.

These buttery biscuits are such an easy side to make for any meal! They really are the best biscuits for dipping and soaking up gravies and sauces! They are like a love letter from your kitchen and such a great way to make an indulgent breakfast in a hurry! No biscuit cutter or pastry cutter required!

You might also like to check out these flaky homemade sourdough biscuits, sourdough pie crust, sourdough banana bread or even this collection of sourdough recipes baked in a cast iron skillet.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Use Up Sourdough Discard - you can use 150g of sourdough discard (or sourdough starter) in this easy biscuit recipe, baked in a pool of butter. 

No Pesky Biscuit Dough - if you've ever made traditional buttermilk biscuits and had them turn out without the flaky layers, then this recipe is for you! There's no cold butter or grating butter necessary! It's literally foolproof and you'll end up with delicious buttery sourdough biscuits that would make anyone proud!

Easiest Side Dish Ever - this simple sourdough side dish is such a cinch to make and can be paired with just about anything! But it's best for mopping up hearty soups, stews and casseroles.

What Are Butter Swim Biscuits?

Butter swim biscuits (or butter dip biscuits as they are sometimes known) are created by making a wet dough and then pouring this over a literal pool of melted butter. The dough is literally swimming in butter - hence the name "butter swim". However, while the dough cooks, the butter is soaked up into the dough to create a moist and tender biscuit.

Once baked, the butter will have soaked into the dough to form the golden crust and shouldn't be pooling around the biscuits. I find that the texture is almost focaccia like, with the golden crust and soft interior. The result is a thick rectangle biscuit, that is quite lofty, as opposed to the flaky biscuits you might be used to. 

Sourdough Discard or Sourdough Starter

These sourdough butter swim biscuits use baking soda and baking powder as leavening agents, so it doesn't matter whether you use sourdough discard or active starter. It's really up to you and what you have on hand.

You can read about the difference between sourdough starter and sourdough discard here.

How To Make Sourdough Butter Swim Biscuits

These sourdough butter swim biscuits really are so simple! You'll want to make them for every meal once you've mastered the process.

Preheat your oven to 220C (430F) and place the stick of butter into a square baking dish or cake pan. Place the dish into the oven so that the butter melts. While the butter is melting, make your dough.

In a large bowl, add the all purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix together until well combined.

Make a well in the centre of the dry flour mix and pour in the buttermilk and the sourdough starter. Use a spatula to gently bring the wet and dry ingredients into a wet dough. It will be quite marshmallowy and kind of like a big bowl of airy sourdough starter. Leave the batter to sit until the butter has melted in your dish (I prefer to call the sticky dough a batter as it describes it a bit better).

Once the butter has fully melted, remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour in the biscuit batter. Use a spatula to smooth it out as best you can, but it will naturally level out in the oven anyway. The batter is literally swimming in butter - don't stress, the butter will absorb into the batter as it bakes. Trust the process!

Spray both sides of a dough scraper with oil and divide the dough into 9 even pieces. The batter will kind of fill in the lines, but this is ok.

Place the baking dish of sourdough butter swim biscuits into the oven for around 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and risen.

Ingredient Notes

Butter - I've used salted butter because I don't like unsalted. I have also added 10g of salt to the batter. If you don't like a lot of salt, consider using unsalted butter and halving the salt, but I find they are a bit flavorless with less salt. Again, this is personal preference.

Buttermilk - I have used buttermilk from making homemade butter. You can use store bought if you prefer. You can also just use whole milk. I recommend adding a splash of vinegar to your whole milk and allowing it to thicken for 5 minutes before adding to the batter.

All Purpose Flour - While basic all purpose flour is recommended, I have made these with bread flour in a pinch and they turned out just fine. You could use a bit of whole wheat flour as well, but I wouldn't recommend using only whole wheat flour as the biscuits turn out a little tough, rather than the fluffy biscuits we are after.

Sourdough Starter - you can use active sourdough starter or unfed sourdough discard for this recipe. I prefer using active starter, but it comes down to personal preference.

Flavor Variations

While these sourdough butter swim biscuits are perfect in their buttery simplicity, there's always room for a little flavor variation in my world! Here are 5 of my favorite additions when you're feeling a little bit extra!

Cheddar and Chive - Add shredded cheddar cheese and finely chopped chives to the dough for a savory twist that pairs perfectly with soups and stews.

Garlic and Herb - Mix in minced garlic and a blend of your favorite herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley, to create aromatic and flavorful biscuits.

Jalapeño and Cheddar - Incorporate diced jalapeños and shredded cheddar cheese into the dough for a spicy and cheesy kick.

Cinnamon and Sugar - Sprinkle the top of the dough with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking to create sweet, cinnamon-infused biscuits perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Bacon and Maple: Fold in crispy, crumbled bacon and a touch of maple syrup for a sweet and savory combination that’s sure to delight. Drizzle the biscuits with a little maple syrup as soon as they come out of the oven for an extra maple hit.

How To Serve Sourdough Butter Swim Biscuits

You can use these sourdough butter swim biscuits in the same way you would serve traditional flaky sourdough biscuits. They pair with pretty much anything. But here are a few of the ways we love to eat them in my home:

Alongside a big bowl of soup! They are so quick and easy to make that they pair perfectly with an easy to make pumpkin or potato and leek soup.

​They make a simple breakfast served with strawberry jam or whipped honey cinnamon butter. My husband loves them slathered in this spicy jalapeno honey butter (because there's no such thing as too much butter).

Drown them in sausage gravy for a cosy dinner.

Which Baking Dish Is Best For This Recipe?

I have tested this recipe a number of times and found that I prefer baking it in a 9" x 9" cake pan. I also baked it in my 9" x 11" Emile Henry Baking Dish and while they tasted amazing, they were odd shaped. I find they work better in a completely square baking dish or cake pan.

Obviously this is personal preference so go by what you prefer. You will see photographs of both versions in this blog. 

Do You Have To Divide The Dough?

You do not have to do this step. You can simply cut the biscuits once they come out of the oven. It won't make too much difference.

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